Pompton Lakes is a well-positioned downtown in need of reinvestment. Topology showcased feasible development opportunities to achieve local aspirations.

Wanaque Avenue is a classic mainstreet nestled within New Jersey’s rustic Highlands Region that saw its heyday between the sixties and eighties. A Redevelopment Plan for the downtown was adopted years ago, but a challenging economic environment stymied new investment.  The Borough’s Business Improvement District tapped Topology to develop a strategy, solve design challenges around difficult sites and attract new investment energy.  Data suggested that new development was financially viable, but the Borough received little attention from regional developers.  Topology tried a different approach: to align the public and private sectors, create a pitch book that property owners and brokers could use to attract investment in key downtown properties.

Insight:  To get the results they want, Downtowns need to actively engage the private market rather than waiting for it to come to them.

Type

Pre-Development Strategy

Role

Planner / Real Estate Strategist / Urban Design

Deliverable

“Redevelopment Ready” Pitch Book

Project Team:

Client Team:

John Soijian, Chairman, Pompton BID

Michael Fabrizio, Pompton BID Executive Director

Technical Team:

Urban Design, Common Ground Design

Status

Completed: 2016